How to remove old microbladed brows and PMU with laser?
In this article:
The rise and fall of microblading for brows
According to some, microblading brows rose to popularity in Asia 15-20 years ago. The results completely transformed the way that brows looked, compared to penciling them on. But as the technique has developed, so too has the pigment, and many people are now left with old work which they are not happy with.
I learned a lot about microblading - and its successor, nanoblading - from my partner, Max, who owns Max's Brows in Bristol. That's the technique that he started out with, until he saw the need for finer, crisper lines that nanoblading could deliver. Microblading can be particularly traumatic for some skin types too, and nanoblading is much gentler on the skin - i.e. less, if no, bleeding.
There are many people who come to Max with old work, and this tends to be microblading. Some clients have had their brows microbladed several times over the years, and that usually creates layers of pigment, leaving the brows looking a bit old and faded.
Styles and shapes also change over time, so what might have suited a client 10 years ago might not look good to them any more.
That's especially the case with older work, as when it was done, the technique was still in its infancy.
But before new brows can be applied to the face, the old work needs to be removed. And that's where laser tattoo removal comes in.
Max, as an experienced PMU artist, often tells me that he won't add work onto other artists' work. And that is likely to be the case with the other top PMU artists too. That's usually because there is no way of knowing which pigments the first artist has used, so the end result is at risk of not looking the way the client would like.
He has many people asking him how to remove old microbladed brows with laser - so here's a quick run-through.
So how to remove old microbladed brows with laser?
Because microblading and ombre use pigment deposited under the skin, in much the same way as body art tattoos (albeit at different depths, and different pigments), laser tattoo removal is the perfect way to get rid of them. The technology is becoming more and more accessible, and the demand is increasing too - especially with the boom in body art of the 2010s (think footballers here!)
The laser tattoo removal machine fires lightwaves into the skin, smashing up the pigment particles which are then flushed out with the body's help, over time. It's the same concept, whether we're removing microblading, or body art.
What's the difference between removing brows and body art tattoos with laser?
The main difference between them is that PMU (i.e. brows) takes far fewer sessions than body art. Done correctly, and depending on the complexity of the pigment, we can remove brows in 2-3 sessions, and sometimes even 1. Body art on the other hand, uses different pigment types with different colour profiles, and is deposited much deeper in the skin. So if you're reading this, and have body art you need removed, it might take anywhere from 6 sessions and upwards.
How long does brow removal take with laser?
One thing to bear in mind, if you are hoping to have old brows removed, is that there needs to be a period of time after getting laser tattoo removal done, before you can get the new brows applied. We recommend 6-8 weeks between each brow removal session, with a further 6-8 weeks after your last laser session before you get your new brows done.
In fact, the longer that is left between laser sessions, the more effective the laser treatment is. That's because the body will be continually flushing those pigment particles out of the skin, months and even years after the treatment.
I mention this in case you need new brows for a wedding in 8 weeks' time. Actually, you'd need to leave at least 16 weeks (envisioning two laser sessions) from the first laser session, until your brow appointment.
Does removing old microbladed brows with laser hurt?
That depends on your pain threshold to some extent. Mine is terrible, and I very nearly passed out when getting a normal (and very small) tattoo done. But most clients say that they merely feel some discomfort. Before the laser is used on your brow, you'll be given an ice pack to apply to the area to help minimise any pain, and you'll also hold it against the area after the laser session.
Are there any side effects to removing brows with laser?
There can be some minor side effects, such as 'crusting' (where the skin forms a protective layer over the perceived trauma), and occasionally some light bleeding. But with our technique, you'll usually just see a little bit of redness for a short time after the treatment.
How do I book in laser tattoo removal with you?
At uninked laser tattoo removal studio, we can remove old PMU brows before your new brows are applied; and we can also remove body art tattoos in Bristol.
The first thing we need to do is book you in for a consultation. This will be a short session to chat about what you'd like removing, check any medical history, and do what's called a 'patch test'. The patch test is really important, as we check two different light wavelengths on a very small area at the pointed end of your brow, to make sure we will be using the right frequency.
You'll then come back 1-7 days afterwards for your first PMU removal session. This is usually over and done with quite quickly, so each appointment should last no more than 30 minutes.
You can book in a consultation with Chris at uninked laser tattoo removal studio (we use Max's Brows Booksy booking system, so just scroll down until you see 'Laser Tattoo Removal with Chris')
If you have any questions, feel free to drop us a line at hello@uninked-laser.co.uk
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